Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Red Pepper, Chinese Cabbage, and Potato Fields in Gangwon-do, Korea

The level of nitrous oxide ($N_2O$), a long-lived greenhouse gas, in atmosphere has increased mainly due to anthropogenic source, especially application of nitrogen fertilizers. Quantifying $N_2O$ emission from agricultural field is essential to develop national inventories of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emission. The objective of the study was to develop emission factor to estimate direct $N_2O$ emission from agricultural field in Gangwon-do, Korea by measuring $N_2O$ emissions from potato (Solanum tuberosum), red pepper (Capsicum annum L.), and Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris L.) cultivation lands from 2009 to 2012. Accumulated $N_2O$ emission was $1.48{\pm}0.25kg$ $N_2O-N\;ha^{-1}$ for red pepper, $1.27{\pm}0.27kg$ $N_2O-N\;ha^{-1}$ for potato, $1.49{\pm}0.06kg$ $N_2O-N\;ha^{-1}$ for Chinese cabbage cultivated in spring, and $1.14{\pm}0.22kg$ $N_2O-N\;ha^{-1}$ for fall Chinese cabbage. Emission factor of $N_2O$ calculated from accumulated $N_2O$ emission, nitrogen fertilization rate, and background $N_2O$ emission was $0.0051{\pm}0.0016kg$ $N_2O-N\;ha^{-1}$ N for cropland in Gangwon province. More extensive study is deserved to be conducted to develop $N_2O$ emission factor for upland crops in Korea through examining the emission factors from various regions and crops because $N_2O$ emission is influenced by many factors including climate characteristics, soil properties, and agricultural practices.